A Twist of Fate
by ellisaco
Summary: "Maybe if we had met first..." "Maybe," Elena meets Damon first. This changes everything. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters.**

* * *

Elena ventures further away from the party, so as not to be overheard by Matt or any of his friends.

"I know, Bonnie. You and my mom are right. I just can't bring myself to tell him, at least not tonight. I'll talk to you later."

Elena must have been lost in her thoughts because she doesn't even notice the man that is standing only a few yards away from her.

"Katherine," he says softly. Her eyes snap up to meet the bluest eyes she has ever seen, eyes that are staring at her expectantly, awaiting a response.

"Um, no," She looks behind her; there's nobody in sight. For some reason this sends a shiver of fear running down her spine. "I'm Elena," she offers.

"Oh, you just really look... I'm sorry, you just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon,"

He takes a step forward, and she wants to take a step back to compensate, but her legs won't cooperate.

"Not to be rude or anything, Damon, but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere."

He doesn't appear to be the least bit offended.

"You're one to talk," he retorts, "you're out here all by yourself."

"It's Mystic Falls, nothing bad ever happens here." Unless you count fights with blonde haired boyfriends about the future.

He gives her the strangest look as he inclines his head slightly in agreement.  
The silence is becoming uncomfortable. Without thinking Elena blurts out,

"I got into a fight with my boyfriend," Stupid, she immediately chastises herself; he doesn't care about your inane, high school fight.

To her surprise he asks, "About what? May I ask."

"Life, the future. He's got it all mapped out." How odd to be having this conversation with a perfect stranger, but somehow it feels right.

"And you don't want it?"

She answers without hesitation.

"I don't know what I want."

"Well that's not true," He sounds quite confident for someone who just met her mere moments ago. "You want what everyone wants."

"What, mysterious stranger who has all the answers?"

He chuckles, genuinely amused.

"Well let's just say I've been around a long time. I've learned a few things."

She smiles. It's the first time tonight that she hasn't had to force it. There's just something so intriguing about him.

"So, Damon, tell me, what is it that I want?"

"You want a love that consumes you." He's walking closer, and she no longer feels the desire to back up. She silently urges him forward. "You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger." His lips quirk into a knowing smile.

Her smile fades and she's left momentarily speechless by this astonishingly accurate assessment, but she quickly regains her footing.

"So, what do you want?" she asks, deciding to turn the tables on him.

He smirks. "I want to buy you a drink."

Why is that this tired pick up line sounds new and exciting on his lips? It sends an entirely different shiver down her spine. However, her sensible side kicks in.

"I shouldn't, I mean I can't. My parents are coming to pick me up." This excuse sounds lame, even to her own ears.

"So call them. Tell them you made other arrangements." He flashes her a dazzling smile that makes her forget why this is a bad idea.

Without even thinking about what she's doing she retrieves her phone out of her pocket and dials her mom's cell phone. She picks up on the second ring.

"Elena, hi! Sorry, we got a little sidetracked, but we're on our way now. We're almost at Wickery Bridge."

"Actually I changed my mind, I think I'm going to stay a little longer."

"Oh," She sounds surprised, but pleasantly so. "Alright. Do you need us to pick you up later?"

"No, that's alright. I have a ride, with... a friend." Damon grins and winks seductively.

"Okay, well we'll just turn around then. Have fun, honey. I love you,"

"I love you, too, mom."

She hangs up. Damon is spinning his key ring around his finger.

"Let's go," she says before she can think better of this and talk herself out of it. She's sick of playing it safe.

He leads her to a dark sports car and she slides into the passenger seat. He turns the keys in the ignition and speeds away. As he drives he seems to be content with silence, but it's eating away at her, making her ever growing nervousness increase with each passing minute.

"So, I've never seen you around before."

Oh God, that just sounded like some sort of convoluted pick up line.

He smirks.

"I'm _new _to town, sort of." He chuckles to himself as if this is some private joke. "How about you?"

"Mystic Falls born and bred,"

He nods. "Ahh, what did you say your last name was?"

She smiles coyly. "I didn't,"

"Right. I guess I'll just have to get it out of you somehow." His words are riddled with innuendo, and being that she's in a relationship she should put a stop to the flirting right now, but there's just something about those smoldering eyes...

"I don't know about that. You're not the only one that can be mysterious."

"Mystery becomes you, Elena." She blushes and gets the odd feeling that she's in the wrong era.

They pull up to a bar that Elena has never seen before. She looks around and doesn't recognize the area at all. They must be on the outskirts of Mystic Falls. Just how fast had Damon been going? She glances over at the speedometer as if it will give answer to her silent question.

She reaches for the handle of her door, but the door is already swinging open. Damon stands by her door waiting.

She chuckles in amusement.

"Am I in the right century?"

Damon laughs appreciatively, and a little longer than Elena thinks the joke called for. It wasn't that funny, was it?

"Old habits die hard," he offers in way of explanation, which, really, doesn't explain anything.

"I'll be right back," Damon says, and before Elena can argue he's gone. True to his word, though, he's back in under a minute.

Elena wonders where he went, but gets the inkling that she'll only get a vague answer if she inquires. They walk over to the line into the bar. Out of habit she reaches for the strap of her purse, but her shoulder is bare.

"Shit! I don't have my purse, which means I don't have my fake or any money."

Damon smiles easily. "Don't worry about it."

"Damon, I can't pass for twenty-one without ID. Nineteen maybe, but that's not going to fly."

"Just trust me," By now they're at the front of the line and Elena doesn't have any choice but to do just that. She prepares herself for the embarrassing rejection that is forthcoming, but to her surprise the bouncer waves her and Damon inside without question.

Damon smirks at her flabbergasted expression.

"Told ya," he says with a wink.

"Okay, but that still doesn't solve the matter of not having any money."

"Like I said don't worry about it."

She realizes what he's getting at.

"No, you don't have to..."

"I want to. Anyways, I'm not exactly hurting for money."

He puts his hand on the small of her back urging her forward slowly. Her skin tingles where his hand makes contact.

"Family inheritance?" she guesses.

He laughs, a sound she is coming to relish.

"Something like that," The more mysterious answers he gives her, the more she finds she wants to know what he's really all about, what makes him tick... It's a refreshing change of pace from the same old routine with Matt.

They finally make their way through the maze of sweaty bodies and to the bar. Damon signals the bartender and he immediately turns his attention to Damon. Impressive, Elena thinks.

"Bourbon, neat, and..." he trails off and looks over to Elena.

"Gin and tonic,"

The bartender brings them their drinks quickly and Damon takes a long sip of his straight drink. Elena takes an equally long sip of her drink, as if to prove something. Maybe that she can keep up with him, in more ways than one.

"So, Damon, what brings you to Mystic Falls?"

She's determined to get at least one straight answer out of him.

"The beautiful scenery and the rustic, local culture," he replies sarcastically.

She can't help smiling, but she rolls her eyes, playing at being annoyed.

"Would it kill you to give me a straight answer to one of my questions?"

"It might," he says dryly.

Elena drains the rest of her drink, and stops the bartender as he passes by. She orders another gin and tonic and two shots of tequila. Damon arches an eyebrow.

"What?" She smirks. "I'm not paying,"

* * *

A few hours later Elena can feel herself teetering on the edge of buzzed and drunk. She begins to feel a little claustrophobic in the hot, crowded bar. She leans over to Damon.

"Do you want to go get some air?"

"Sure," He finishes the rest of his bourbon and throws down a large wad of cash. Elena tries not to gape at the bills.

In a move that shocks Elena, Damon takes her hand in his, leading her to the exit of the bar. She is hyperaware of their proximity in the cramped space. She tells herself it's okay to be clutching his hand as if it is a lifeline. They would surely be separated otherwise, she justifies to herself.

Once they're outside Damon leads her to the side of the building, away from the porch area. He drops her hand, and she immediately laments the loss of the warmth of his hand.

Elena sucks the fresh, night air into her lungs, glad to be away from the smell of booze and sweat. She blinks and realizes that Damon is standing only a few feet away, facing her. He takes another step closer and she sucks in another breath. This time she breathes in his piney, masculine scent, with a hint of bourbon.

He takes another step, and their bodies are now only inches apart. He dips his head lower so that they are eye level. He licks his lips, and it's all Elena can do not to jump him right there. He closes the minuscule distance between them, and his body is now pressing hers against the brick of the building.

His blues eyes are all she can see. She feels like she could drown in them. But the blueness reminds her of Matt, and she comes to her senses.

"Stop,"

He doesn't listen. She doesn't blame him, she wasn't very convincing.

"Why?" He licks his lips again. It's very distracting when she's trying to think of reasons why she _shouldn't _kiss him.

"Because I have a boyfriend." She's trying to convince herself as much as him.

"Then why are you here with me?"

"I-" She doesn't have an answer for this.

His tongue darts out and licks her bottom lip, and an instantaneous volt of electricity shocks her body. She gasps and sucks in a breath. But she quickly composes herself. She pushes against hard against his chest. He doesn't budge.

"I won't be that girl,"

He smirks, completely nonplussed. "But you want to be that girl."

Before she can think of a witty response he steps away from her. Immediately she misses the warmth of his body against hers. Matt, think about Matt, she chants to herself.

She wraps her arms around herself, feeling the chill of the night air.

"I'm leaving," she says, but she doesn't move away from the wall.

He smirks.

"Then leave," He sweeps his hand in the direction of the road.

She huffs and moves to walk past him, but he catches her arm. Again, she feels a prickle of fear.

He leans down and breathes into her ear. "Let me give you a ride home."

She jerks her hand out of his grip.

"That's alright, I think I'll get a taxi. Mommy always said don't get in the car with strangers, and drunk ones at that." She eyes him pointedly.

He laughs, and somehow the sound electrifies and infuriates her at the same time.

"Suit yourself,"

She turns back around and walks away, calling for a taxi as she goes. As she hangs up she hears Damon calling after her.

"Goodbye, Elena, I'll see you in your dreams."

She doesn't even have to be looking at him to know that he's wearing that sexy but infuriating smirk.

* * *

**One shot or story? You decide**


	2. Chapter 2

Much to Elena's chagrin, she does end up dreaming about Damon. Luckily nothing that would require a cold shower, but she definitely had more than one dream where Damon was the main focus. She honestly doesn't know what to make of it.

Elena pushes thoughts of Damon from her mind as she rises from her bed and gets ready for school, something she is not looking forward to at all. She knows what she has to do today; she has to end her relationship with Matt once and for all. It just isn't fair to string him along anymore, not when he feels so much more strongly for her than she does for him. Just imagining the look of devastation on his face when she breaks his heart puts her in a decidedly somber mood.

She takes her time descending the stairs to join her family for breakfast. She contemplates begging off, saying she's not hungry, but she knows her parents won't allow for it when Jenna is here. She really does love spending time with her aunt; she's just not so sure she's going to be the best company right now.

Elena rounds the corner into the kitchen and everyone is already sitting at the table waiting for her. She flashes Jenna and her parents a weak smile, hoping they don't see through it.

She eats in relative silence, not engaging in the constant conversation around her.

"Elena, are you alright?" her mother asks. "You're awfully quiet,"

"I'm breaking up with Matt today." she confesses.

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby," she sympathizes, "I hope it's not too hard."

She figures there's not much chance of that, but she appreciates the sentiment anyways.

After breakfast Elena says goodbye to Jenna and then heads to school. On the drive in she practices how she's going to break up with Matt. Each time she imagines a different reaction from him, ranging from amicable, to heart broken, to screaming he never wants to talk to her again. Her palms begin to sweat and she wipes them on the cotton of her cheerleading skirt.

She pulls into the school parking lot, still rehearsing what she's going to say, when she is distracted by an extremely hot and familiar guy leaning against a black sports car, surveying the student body.

She is already approaching him before she even makes the conscious decision to do so. Damn him and his magnetism.

"Damon? What are you doing here?"

He doesn't look at all surprised to see her. Although, why should he be? This is the only high school in Mystic Falls. He doesn't move from his casual stance against his car.

"Dropping off the baby bro," He nods his head in the direction of the high school.

"Your brother goes to school here?" She feels like she would have noticed someone with _those _genes.

"Yup, but I'm sure you wouldn't know him. He's not exactly..." He rakes his eyes over her cheerleading outfit clad body suggestively. "...peppy,"

Elena crosses her arms over her chest, as if to protect herself from his leering.

"I don't appreciate the stereotype." What is it about this guy that just completely gets under her skin?

His answering smile is teasing and reassuring at the same time.

"Don't worry, that was more of a knock to my brother's character than yours."

"Oh I'm so relieved," she replies sarcastically.

"Uh oh, here comes Mutt,"

Elena looks over her shoulder to see Matt heading towards the pair, looking none too pleased.

"Matt," she corrects, annoyed at his insult of her boyfriend, lame as it may be.

Why did she have to tell Damon his name last night when he asked? It was none of his damned business.

"Oh, my bad. I must have been thrown off by the general golden retriever appearance and mannerisms. Call me when you bring him back to the pound." He leans in close and slips a small scrap of paper into her jacket pocket.

Elena opens her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but in another one of his blindingly fast movements, he's back in his car and pulling out of the school parking lot. She blinks in confusion.

"Who was that tool?" Matt asks once he reaches her. She's thrown off for a moment by the uncharacteristic hostility in his voice.

"Nobody." She watches as Damon's car disappears out of sight. "Hey, Matt, I was hoping we could talk."

She leads him over to a bench a ways away from the main entrance in order to have some privacy. Before she can say anything Matt starts apologizing.

"Elena, I'm sorry about last night. You're not ready for that and I freaked you out. I just - I love you,"

Elena didn't know it was possible to feel any lower than she had just minutes ago. She puts a hand up to stop him before he makes this any harder for both of them.

"Matt...please don't apologize. I don't know how to say this...I just can't do this anymore."

Matt eyes her warily, anticipating pain.

"You're - you're breaking up with me? Elena, come on, don't do this. I don't need all that stuff I talked about last night, I really don't."

Elena sighs in frustration and wipes away a tear that has escaped the corner of her eye.

"See, that's just it, Matt. You're willing to give up your dreams for me, and I - I've never even told you that I love you! I feel like such a terrible person for leading you own for this long. You deserve better than this, Matt. You deserve someone can give you everything that you want. I'm sorry; I'm just not that girl."

The look of total anguish on Matt's face is much worse than Elena had imagined. To her horror she sees tears collecting in his eyes.

"Elena..."

"I'm so sorry, Matt,"

She gets up from the bench and walks away, furiously wiping away the tears as she goes.

Elena makes it to history just before the final bell rings, having had to stop at the bathroom to fix her running makeup. She takes her usual seat near the back of the class and settles in, trying to dispel thoughts of Matt and his heartbreak from her mind; it wouldn't do to start tearing up in the middle of class.

She hangs her jacket on the back of her chair, as she hasn't been to her locker yet, and something falls out of it on to the ground. She bends over to find the scrap of paper with Damon's number on it. She pauses for a moment, before ultimately deciding to pick it up. She tucks it safely back into her pocket, zipping up the zipper.

She replays her conversation with Damon over in her head. For some reason his implication that she wouldn't know his brother because they run in different circles, struck a chord with Elena. It certainly wouldn't kill her to branch out, now would it? She turns randomly to the desk to her right, where a guy with sandy brown hair and an angular jaw line sits. He looks like he would rather be anywhere else in the world right now. Although, what high school student doesn't wish that in first period? She decides now is a good a time as any to start her 'meeting new people' initiative.

"Hey, I'm Elena," she whispers over Mr. Saltzman's lecture.

He turns his head, appearing surprised that she's talking to him.

"Stefan," he offers with a stiff smile that she can tell is forced.

She presses on.

"Are you alright?" she asks, taking note of his dejected body language.

"I'm fine, it's just my brother's in town. We're not exactly...close."

Elena wonders if it's merely a coincidence...

"Your brother's name isn't Damon by any chance, is it?"

She has his full attention now. He looks rather alarmed. She frowns at his reaction.

"Yes, it is. How did you know that?" he asks, his tone conveying a new found urgency.

"Uh, we hung out last night, he said he was new to town, and mentioned he had a younger brother that went to school here. I figured it was a long shot...but I guess we have something in common?" she says, laughing weakly.

"Yes, we do. We both know a psychopathic lunatic."

Now Elena laughs nervously. She waits for Stefan to join her, but his face remains poker straight.

"He didn't seem that bad to me."

"That's because you don't know him. Just give a few weeks, days maybe. I wish you would stay away from him, but I suppose I can't tell you what to do."

Elena rolls her eyes in disbelief. This is what she gets for opening her mouth.

"No, you can't, seeing as I just met you, oh -" She looks down at her wrist. "5 seconds ago. Anyways, I'm sure as his brother you're not the most unbiased source. What would he have to say about you?"

Stefan's features soften.

"Probably nothing too great," he admits. "Listen, I'm sorry, Elena. It's none of my business. Just...be careful, alright?"

He seems sincere, so she agrees to appease him. She wonders what could have happened between the two of them for Stefan to have such an intense dislike for Damon, bordering on hatred. Mr. Saltzman takes note of their raised voices and tells them to quiet down. Mr. Saltzman is one of Elena's favorite teachers, so with a mumbled apology she acquiesces.

* * *

Elena returns from school and takes her book bag upstairs to her room. She lays her textbooks out on her desk and tries to finish the assigned chapter, but she can't focus on the word long enough to read more than a couple sentences. Her current mood is not conducive to the reading of biology textbooks. She is in a 'blow off this crapload of homework and do something fun' mood.

You know someone you could have_ lots _of fun with, the devil on her shoulder taunts.

Elena grabs her discarded jacket and pulls out the little square of paper. When had he found the time to write it down, anyways? Did he go to the high school just hoping to run into her, armed with his number on a piece of tempting, ordinary, white paper?

She drums her fingers on her desk as she deliberates. She really shouldn't call him. First of all because she just broke up with Matt hours ago, secondly because it's pretty much exactly what he told her to do. She recalls his crass words regarding Matt - _Call me when you bring him back to the pound._

Why, oh, why is she attracted to this guy? He's clearly an asshole, something his brother would surely attest to, but she just can't help it, and she certainly can't deny the instant spark she felt between them.

Elena decides it's enough with the internal debate. She sighs and picks up her phone.

_Fuck it._

She dials the number, and her heart practically beats out of her chest with her nervousness.

He picks up after two rings.

"Hello?"

Oh my God, she thinks, even his 'hellos' are sexy.

"Damon, hey, it's Elena. What are you doing tonight?"

* * *

**Please let me know what you think.**


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